Sam Allardyce says he broke Sir Alex’s golden transfer rule only once

November 25, 2025 Oliver Obel

Over 20 years, Allardyce and Ferguson developed a rapport rooted in mutual respect and shared experience. In an interview with SPORTbible during his work with the “Every Minute Matters” campaign (a collaboration between Sky Bet and the British Heart Foundation), Allardyce reflected on what Ferguson meant to him:

“Many years of when you want a chat about something generally our chats are about life, football and enjoying each other’s company… He was always on the end of the phone.”

According to the SPORTbible piece, Allardyce said the former United manager was a confidant when difficult decisions loomed.

Their dialogue often covered not just tactics but the pressures of the job, leadership, and how to stay grounded beyond the match-day spotlight.

The transfer advice that stuck, and when it didn’t

One key lesson Allardyce held onto came from Ferguson’s caution around the transfer market: avoid acquiring players immediately after an international tournament, because though their stock is high, their consistency often isn’t. Allardyce has said that he followed that rule almost throughout his managerial career.

Yet, the exception came in 2014. As West Ham’s manager, Allardyce signed Enner Valencia for a reported £12 million after Valencia scored three goals for Ecuador at the 2014 World Cup.

Allardyce admitted in his podcast that this was the one time he strayed from Ferguson’s advice but in this case, he was fortunate it worked out. He noted that at his earlier clubs (such as Bolton Wanderers) the inflated prices and euphoric displays of players fresh from tournaments were reasons to steer clear.

Valencia went on to make 68 appearances for West Ham, scoring 10 times. While some commentators now view the deal as mixed in value, at the time Allardyce considered it a justified risk.

The job that almost happened

In the same interview, Allardyce revealed an intriguing “what-if” of his career: he almost became manager of Manchester City in 2007.

After leaving Bolton, he says a deal was all but signed with then-owners John Wardle and David Makin—until the club was sold to Thaksin Shinawatra, who installed Sven‑Göran Eriksson instead. Allardyce remarked with a touch of humour: “I might have been Pep two!”

This anecdote adds further colour to his career story and demonstrates how quickly trajectories in football management can shift.

Life beyond management: the heart-health mission

Now out of frontline management, Allardyce channels his energy into football’s grassroots. He recently visited his old club Bolton to promote the Every Minute Matters campaign, which aims to equip grassroots clubs with CPR and defibrillator training. Since its launch in May 2024, more than 330,000 people have participated — and Allardyce’s goal is to reach half a million, or even a million, trained bystanders.

He emphasises:

“You’ve got to be very aware any time, anywhere, that if someone falls down in front of us with a cardiac arrest, we can actually help and try and respond… We have to do this course to get over the fear of that.”

His message underscores the vital role sporting communities can play in wider public health.

Sources: SPORTbible, fotbolltransfers, Sports Mole, The Independant, The Standard.

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